Town Square

Stanford announces members of sexual-assault task force

Original post made
on Jul 29, 2014

Stanford University today named a group of almost 20 students, faculty and staff who will make up a task force charged with reviewing and issuing recommendations on the university's policies on and responses to sexual assault.

Posted by village fool
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2014 at 1:51 am

Outsider perspective, freedom. Those are the rationals of independent investigations and Shadow governments (it seems to me that a task force is a different creature).

These were parts the reasons that had me call Mr. Dauber to form a Shadow PAUSD Board.
That thread reads very differently now after almost 1.5 years (and after some secret meetings became public knowledge, unusual (understatement) personnel changes etc.)

Posted by neighbor
a resident of another community
on Jul 30, 2014 at 1:14 pm

[Portion removed due to factually incorrect information.]

I think the Stanford task force is a good resolution, because they will address ALL similar cases ---and there are definitely campus sexual assaults. Stanford needs to make their campus as safe as possible.

Posted by Stanford Alum
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 31, 2014 at 12:49 pm

I wonder if there are good reasons for Stanford not to put "outspoken survivors, activists, and faculty allies" on the committee to review sexual assault policies. Hmmm, let me see:

Could it be that the University is committed to reasoned discourse, rather than protests and political pressure?

Is it possible that these are judicial matters, and require some judicial temperament and that all points of view be considered and every person's rights be given reasonable protection?

It could even be that the outspoken survivors, activists, and faculty allies referred to above might have shown themselves to be extreme in their positions and unwilling to allow other points of view to be heard, or for practical, legal, and moral concerns to be considered?

The committee Stanford has chosen really does seem to be broadly-based and representative. I wish them well in their deliberations on this difficult topic.

Posted by Nora Charles
a resident of Stanford
on Jul 31, 2014 at 3:59 pmNora Charles is a registered user.

Stanford Alum,

Great comment. It IS a difficult topic, especially, as in the case cited in the article, when an incident takes place out of state. In my view that is a case for the police of that city, not Stanford. If a person is found guilty, only then should the school take the appropriate action. This task force should only be involved in cases taking place on campus.

Posted by Stanford Alum
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 31, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Nora Charles, you bring up an interesting point. The incident is reported to have taken place in Alaska. The people involved are said to have been in a relationship previous to the incident. We don't know the details, although the conclusion from the Stanford inquiry judged that a sexual assault occurred. There is no report of any action by Alaskan authorities, but it's all rather vague.

It's true that Stanford's Fundamental Standard is supposed to apply to all students wherever they are. But what does that mean in practice? Surely jurisdictional issues should be considered, and seem to have been considered in this case. The former boyfriend did receive consequences for what he did. But the consequences weren't dire enough for the activists and faculty allies.

I'm not one to argue that judicial processes are always fair, and in the area of sexual assault in particular there are many appalling travesties of justice. But I'm not ready to support some draconian standard of expulsion for every case where allegations of assault are made.

I'm hoping this carefully chosen commission will come up with recommendations that most reasonable people will accept as well thought-out and fair to all concerned

Posted by JLS mom of 2
a resident of JLS Middle School
on Aug 2, 2014 at 8:44 amJLS mom of 2 is a registered user.

Professor Dauber isn't the only person with knowledge and experience excluded from the committee. What about Angela Exson the head of the SARA office? What about Jamie Hogan the ARP officer? This committe is comprised of people who know little or nothing with the exception of Schoenthaler who represents Stanford. It is almost as if the Provost selected members who have zero independent knowledge. The result of that is that they will be strongly inclined to defer to university counsel since she will be the only person in the room who knows anything. This is a blown opportunity. IWhile all the people are surely nice and well meaning they don't understand anything about the process or resources.

How then will they recommend improvements if they don't even know what they are improving or why? Much time and effort will be spent just trying to help them understand the situation.

Posted by Retired Teacher
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Aug 2, 2014 at 5:40 pmRetired Teacher is a registered user.

From JLS mom of 2: "This committe is comprised of people who know little or nothing with the exception of Schoenthaler who represents Stanford. It is almost as if the Provost selected members who have zero independent knowledge. The result of that is that they will be strongly inclined to defer to university counsel since she will be the only person in the room who knows anything."

My goodness, JLS mom of 2, this statement is truly incredible! These people, for example:

Shelley Correll, professor of sociology and the Barbara D. Finberg Director of the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford

Marcia Stefanick, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and co-director of the Stanford Center for Health Research on Women & Sex Differences in Medicine

Robert Weisberg, the Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law and faculty co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center

Laura Wilson, Stanford chief of police and director of the Department of Public Safety

Laraine Zappert, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral science and director of the Sexual Harassment Policy Office at Stanford

These people know nothing? I should know nothing like these people, and the others on the committee, know nothing!

Even better, they do seem to represent a broad spectrum of opinion, without being members of political pressure groups that have a rather one-sided agenda.

Good for Stanford, choosing a terrific committee to deal with a fraught issue!